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Arthrosis also known as osteoarthritis, degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is a group of mechanical abnormalities involving degradation of joints, including articular cartilage and subchondral bone. The word arthrosis comes from a Greek root. Arthros meaning a joint. In arthritis, inflammation of a joint. Symptoms may include joint pain, tenderness, stiffness, locking, and sometimes an effusion. A variety of causes—hereditary, developmental, metabolic, and mechanical—may initiate processes leading to loss of cartilage. When bone surfaces become less well protected by cartilage, bone may be exposed and damaged. As a result of decreased movement secondary to pain, regional muscles may atrophy, and ligaments may become more lax.

Arthrosis of hip typically affects patients over 50 years of age. It is more common in people who are overweight, and weight loss tends to reduce the symptoms associated with arthrosis of hip. There is also a genetic predisposition of this condition, meaning arthrosis of hip tends to run in families.

Treatment generally involves a combination of exercise, lifestyle modification, and analgesics. If pain becomes debilitating, joint replacement surgery may be used to improve the quality of life. Arthrosis is the most common form of arthritis, and the leading cause of chronic disability in the United States. It affects about 8 million people in the United Kingdom and nearly 27 million people in the United States.